Liquid discharge head, liquid discharge device, and liquid discharge apparatus

Abstract

A liquid discharge head includes a plurality of nozzles from which a liquid is discharged in a gravity direction, a plurality of pressure chambers communicating with the plurality of nozzles, respectively, a common channel communicating with each of the plurality of pressure chambers, the common channel including a top surface and a bottom surface disposed below the top surface in the gravity direction, and a plurality of convex portions formed on the bottom surface of the common channel.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A liquid discharge head comprising:
 a plurality of nozzles, to discharge a liquid in a gravity direction; 
 a plurality of pressure chambers communicating with the plurality of nozzles, respectively; 
 a common channel, communicating with each of the plurality of pressure chambers, the common channel including a top surface and a bottom surface, disposed below the top surface in the gravity direction; and 
 a plurality of convex portions formed within the common channel, on the bottom surface of the common channel, the plurality of convex portions protruding upward in a direction from the bottom surface to the top surface. 
 
     
     
       2. The liquid discharge head according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the common channel includes: 
 a common-supply channel connected to an upstream of the plurality of pressure chambers in a direction of liquid flow from the common-supply channel to the plurality of pressure chambers; and 
 a common-recovery channel connected to a downstream of the plurality of pressure chambers in the direction of liquid flow, and 
 the plurality of convex portions is formed on a bottom surface of the common-supply channel disposed below a top surface of the common-supply channel in the gravity direction. 
 
     
     
       3. The liquid discharge head according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the common-supply channel includes: 
 a first channel portion arranged side-by-side with the common-recovery channel in a longitudinal direction of the plurality of the pressure chambers; 
 a second channel portion disposed above the first channel portion and the common-recovery channel in the gravity direction; and 
 a partition wall partitioning the second channel portion of the common-supply channel and the common-recovery channel, 
 the partition wall forms a bottom surface of the second channel portion, and 
 the plurality of convex portions is formed on the bottom surface of the second channel portion. 
 
     
     
       4. The liquid discharge head according to  claim 3 , further comprising a plate configured to form the partition wall,
 wherein the plate includes: 
 a plurality of slits arranged in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the plurality of the pressure chambers, and 
 a plurality of walls formed between the plurality of slits, the plurality of walls forms the plurality of convex portions facing the second channel portion. 
 
     
     
       5. The liquid discharge head according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the common-supply channel includes: 
 a plurality of common-supply branch channels communicating with two or more of the plurality of pressure chambers; and 
 a common-supply main channel communicating with each of the common-supply branch channels, 
 and wherein the plurality of convex portions are formed on a bottom surface of the common-supply main channel disposed below a top surface of the common-supply main channel in the gravity direction. 
 
     
     
       6. The liquid discharge head according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a supply port connected to one end of the common-supply main channel in a longitudinal direction of the common-supply main channel, the supply port configured to supply the liquid to the common-supply main channel, 
 wherein a density of arrangement of the plurality of convex portions in a portion away from the supply port is larger than a density of arrangement of the plurality of convex portions in a portion near the supply port. 
 
     
     
       7. The liquid discharge head according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the common-supply main channel includes the plurality of convex portions at portions between connections at which the common-supply main channel is connected to the plurality of common-supply branch channels. 
 
     
     
       8. The liquid discharge head according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein a height of each of the plurality of convex portions is equal to or less than half of a height of the common-supply main channel. 
 
     
     
       9. The liquid discharge head according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein a width of each of the plurality of convex portions is equal to or less than half of a width of the common-supply main channel in a transverse direction of the common-supply main channel. 
 
     
     
       10. The liquid discharge head according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein each of the plurality of convex portions is arranged in a central part in a transverse direction of the common-supply main channel. 
 
     
     
       11. The liquid discharge head according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein one end of each of the plurality of convex portions contacts a first side wall of the common-supply main channel in a transverse direction of the common-supply main channel, 
 another end of each of the plurality of convex portions separates from a second side wall disposed opposite the first side wall, and 
 the second side wall is connected to each of the plurality of common-supply branch channels. 
 
     
     
       12. The liquid discharge head according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein each of the plurality of convex portions includes: 
 a first part contacting a first side wall of the common-supply main channel in a transverse direction of the common-supply main channel; and 
 a second part contacting a second side wall of the common-supply main channel opposite the first side wall with a space between the first part and the second part. 
 
     
     
       13. The liquid discharge head according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the common channel includes: 
 a common-supply channel connected to an upstream of the plurality of pressure chambers in a direction of liquid flow from the common-supply channel to the plurality of pressure chambers; and 
 a common-recovery channel connected to a downstream of the plurality of pressure chambers in the direction of liquid flow, and 
 the plurality of convex portions is formed on a bottom surface of the common-recovery channel disposed below a top surface of the common-recovery channel in the gravity direction. 
 
     
     
       14. The liquid discharge head according to  claim 13 ,
 wherein the common-recovery channel includes: 
 a plurality of common-recovery branch channels communicating with two or more of the plurality of pressure chambers; and 
 a common-recovery main channel communicating with each of the common-recovery branch channels, 
 the plurality of convex portions is formed on a bottom surface of the common-recovery main channel disposed below a top surface of the common-recovery main channel in the gravity direction. 
 
     
     
       15. The liquid discharge head according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein the common-recovery main channel includes the plurality of convex portions at portions between connections at which the common-recovery main channel is connected to the plurality of common-recovery branch channels. 
 
     
     
       16. The liquid discharge head according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein a height of each of the plurality of convex portions is equal to or less than half of a height of the common-recovery main channel. 
 
     
     
       17. The liquid discharge head according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein a width of each of the plurality of convex portions is equal to or less than half of a width of the common-recovery main channel in a transverse direction of the common-recovery main channel. 
 
     
     
       18. A liquid discharge device comprising a plurality of liquid discharge heads including the liquid discharge head according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
       19. The liquid discharge device according to  claim 18 ,
 wherein the liquid discharge head is integrated with at least one of: 
 a head tank configured to store the liquid to be supplied to the liquid discharge head, 
 a carriage on which the liquid discharge head is mounted, 
 a supply unit configured to supply the liquid to the liquid discharge head, 
 a recovery device configured to maintain the liquid discharge head, and 
 a main scan moving unit configured to move the liquid discharge head in a main scanning direction. 
 
     
     
       20. A liquid discharge apparatus comprising the liquid discharge device according to  claim 18 .